It’s today.
Twenty years ago.
Today.
Sigh.
It’s not ‘Happy’ Diaversary….it’s just there; a milestone. Twenty years today.
As I think back to that September 26th 1992, when at the age of 2 Kaitlyn was whisked to Stony Brook Hospital; medical staff ran around tending to her; tubes were attached; pain was administered; tears were shed; more tears were shed; I raced from New York City; I entered her room; she looked at everything attached to her; I pushed the hair out of her eyes, and I spoke:
“Hi Honey.”
Looking at all the wires and the tubes, “Daddy?”
“Yes honey.”
Looking straight into my eyes: “Fix.”
More tears were shed.
Our lives would change……..forever.
I promised her that I would not stop until a cure was found. I told her, as the song from Broadway’s Shenandoah states, “Pappa would make it all right.”
And we have tried. We are more determined now than ever before. We’re more convinced than ever that my promise to Kaitlyn will be fulfilled. I have met the most incredible people on this journey. Too many to start to thank, or even name. I thank you all.
But on this, the 20th Diaversary of Kaitlyn’s diagnosis, I need to thank someone. I promised her once that I would leave her out of my writings because she hates reading about herself. But on this date I need to be a bit off the norm, as they say.
I will keep it real simple but it is the most powerful statement I have ever issued. In as much as I (and yes with a biased) think Kaitlyn and Rob are truly so remarkable, I am one thousand percent convinced that my daughter is alive today with no complications, and Rob is doing as well as he is, because of my wife, their mom; Jill. She did it right and continues to get it right 24/7/365. She will tell you otherwise, but that is how she operates.
The gift of a child’s well being is probably the most precious gift any parent could ever have and the reason in our house is Jill, and I thank her from the bottom of my heart. Period.
I know because, you see, I’m the Diabetesdad.